Erickson calls on Perry to bow out now

By Maggie Haberman

01/18/12 03:05 PM EST

Erick Erickson, the RedState founder who helped usher in the Rick Perry presidential candidacy at a convention the website put together in August, is now calling on the Texas governor to bow out ahead of the South Carolina vote for the sake of conservative unity:

If Rick Perry stays in the race, conservatives opposed to Mitt Romney will be legitimately able to blame Rick Perry for dragging down either Newt or Santorum. If the person he endorses doesn’t win the nomination, it still doesn’t hurt him as much as staying in to take a few deciding votes.

Huntsman has already done his part to help Romney. Perry’s endorsement today or tomorrow morning could offset that, shifting undecideds and Perry’s own voters to someone else and get them a leg up on Mitt Romney. With Newt Gingrich surging according to the latest Rasmussen poll and Sarah Palin saying she’d support him, Perry’s withdrawal and endorsement before Saturday could ensure a Gingrich win.

Rick Perry’s campaign has come to an end. But he could leave on an unexpected high note — helping conservatives unite around one not-Romney in a way no one else has been able to. Rick Perry could be the catalyst and kingmaker so many have been looking for, even as other conservatives have stood by, unwilling to endorse in the face of long odds.

Rick Perry has come this far motivated by his faith and his principles. He has fought the good fight. He has not forgotten what is due to his own honor and that of his country. But now he has a choice to make, and I wish him wisdom in it.

Either Rick Perry will leave the race Sunday with no political capital and no deposit of goodwill an endorsement would bring, or he will choose to strike one final blow for limited government conservatism.